NIA attaches three properties in terror-gangster-drug smuggler nexus case

PTI, Jul 25, 2023, 7:52 PM IST

Representative Image (source: PTI / File )

The NIA has attached three properties owned by suspected members of organised crime syndicates in Haryana and Delhi, an official said on Tuesday.

The attachment of the properties followed multi-state raids across 129 locations in a major crackdown against the terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler network, having links with ‘listed individual terrorist’ Arsh Dala and other foreign-based terrorists, a spokesperson for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.

The raids were conducted at locations linked with gangsters and their associates in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi/NCR on May 17.

The properties attached include a house of Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan in Delhi and two houses belonging to Kaushal Chaudhary and Amit Dagar in Haryana’s Gurugram district, the spokesperson said.

All these properties constituted ”proceeds of terrorism”, which were used for hatching terror conspiracies and execution of crimes, the official said.

”Irfan had been involved in multiple criminal cases of murder and extortion, besides being a supplier of all types of logistics support, including men and material (supply of arms and ammunitions), to the notorious Bambiha gang.

”He had provided a safe haven to the gang’s absconding associates on the instructions of Chaudhary, Bhupi Rana and other key operatives of the gang to reach out to the ground level operatives for execution of terror/criminal activities,” the spokesperson for the federal agency said.

The official said Choudhary and Dagar were closely associated with key conspirators — foreign-based Dala and Gaurab Patyal alias Sourav Thakur alias Lucky — with the help of other accused persons.

”Both Choudhary and Dagar were involved in extortion/threatening/killing of businessmen and striking terror among singers, businessmen and sportspersons, and in arranging weapons for execution of acts of terror and violence,” the spokesperson said.

The official said they were both in touch with, and conspired with, foreign-based terrorists, as well as ground operatives, through social media platforms for execution of extortion or killings.

”The money raised from the extortions was being utilised for furtherance of terror activities and for providing logistic support to other gangs, including Bambiha gang, active in India,” the official said.

The NIA registered cases against three major organised crime syndicates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in August 2022, saying these were spreading their mafia-style criminal networks in the northern states. The syndicates were involved in the commission of many sensational crimes, such as the murder of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala and large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals, it had said.

Their crimes included the killing of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani, as well Sandeep Nangal Ambia, an international kabaddi organiser in Punjab, the agency spokesperson said. Many of these conspiracies were found to have been masterminded from abroad, including Pakistan and Canada, or by leaders of organised criminal syndicates lodged in jails, the official added.

”The NIA plans to intensify its drive, in active and close collaboration with Police forces of various states, to dismantle such terror and mafia networks and their support infrastructure, and to attach and seize their assets procured from proceeds of terrorism and crime,” the spokesperson said.